


Stripped

by zebraljb



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-09
Updated: 2011-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-27 02:45:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU in which Elijah is still an actor, but Orlando is an auto mechanic...with a very interesting night job.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

STRIPPED  
One

 _Sorry you can't define me/Sorry I break the mold/Sorry that I speak my mind/Sorry don't do what I'm told/Sorry if I don't fake it/Sorry I come too real/I will never hide what I really feel…_

 

“Look…there’s a garage over there.” Elijah Wood steered the car towards the left. It sputtered and protested, but inched its way across the double yellow line and into the parking lot.

“Why did you buy this thing, anyway?” His best friend Sean asked him. “It’s a piece of junk.”

“It’s a classic car, Sean. I know it needs work, but I like it.” Elijah ran his hand over the dashboard affectionately. “Sadie just needs some TLC.”

“You NAMED it?” Sean groaned. “This isn’t the kind of car a star drives, ‘Lij.”

“I don’t do everything just because stars do it, Sean,” Elijah snapped, then sighed. Sean just didn’t get it. He thought that a successful movie career meant showing off. It didn’t mean anything like that to Elijah.

“I realize that,” Sean replied. “You proved that the other night at that awards dinner.”

“I’m gay, Sean. It was a GLAAD award. I’m proud of that!”

“I want to support alternative lifestyles as much as you do, Elijah. I’m just not as open about it as you are. I care about my career.”

“I care about my career, too, Seanie. But the difference between us is that you’re straight, and you support them to look good.”

Sean actually looked insulted. “I support YOU, don’t I?”

“Yes,” Elijah admitted. “Let’s not fight, okay? I’m gonna go inside and see if they can look under the hood quick.”

 

“Yo, Orli!” Billy yelled. “Your turn.”

“Busy!” A voice called from under a Cadillac.

“Damn,” Billy muttered. “Dom, make Orli get his skinny ass out there!”

“Billy, just go talk to the guy,” Dom said from under the hood of another Cadillac.

“Fine,” Billy grumbled. He wiped his hands on his shirt and headed out front. “Can I…” Billy stopped walking and talking as he watched Elijah walk towards him.

“Hi. My new, well, old, car is kinda sick. Can someone look at her?” Elijah looked around the parking lot. “Obviously you guys fix all kinds of cars. She’s sorta old, though.”

“Can you hold on JUST one second?” Billy asked politely. Elijah nodded and Billy darted back into the garage. “Dom. DOM!”

“What?” Dom hissed. He straightened up suddenly, cracked his head, and swore.

“Elijah Wood is in our lot?”

“Who?” Dom rubbed at his head.

“Elijah Wood. You know…” Billy proceeded to rattle off the names of Elijah’s last three blockbuster movies. Dom’s mouth fell open.

“Holy hell.” Dom wiped his hands in a fashion similar to Billy’s. “Where is he?”

“Outside.”

“You left him outside?” Dom hurried back out of the garage with Billy at his heels. “Hi, can I help you?”

Elijah smiled. “My girl back there isn’t feeling so good.”

“Oh.” Dom looked over Elijah’s shoulder. “That’s a beauty.”

“Yeah. I just got her. She hasn’t really been checked over yet…which is my fault.”

Dom gave the car a critical glance. “Unfortunately neither Billy nor I really know much about classic cars.”

“Oh,” Elijah said, crestfallen. “Do you think I could call a cab, then?”

“But,” Dom continued, “I do have someone who CAN look at her.”

“Great!” Elijah said, smiling happily.

“And do you think you could give Billy here your autograph? He’s gonna go crazy if you don’t,” Dom added. Billy turned crimson. Elijah laughed as Dom thrust a paper at him and Elijah quickly signed it. Dom handed the paper to Billy, who whispered his thanks. “Let’s go find the expert. His skinny fingers can work magic.”

Elijah followed the garage owner back into the building. He looked at Sean, who was almost asleep in Sadie’s front seat. Billy followed close behind them, trying not to babble in his excitement at meeting a real movie star. Dom stopped by a black Cadillac. Long legs and dirty sneakers poked out from under the car’s body. “Come on, you fucker…turn…”

“Orli.” Dom kicked a sneaker. “A guy out here needs your expertise.”

“Is he cute?” The voice asked. Elijah actually blushed a bit. Dom grinned.

“I dunno. Why don’t you look for yourself?”

The body grew as the man slid himself out from under a car. Elijah gulped for air. Brown curls were held back by a black bandanna. Brown eyes stared at Elijah as cheeks reddened. The man, Orli, it seemed, wore blue work pants and a blue work shirt with the name “Orli” embroidered over the heart. The sleeves had been cut off and black streaks of oil lined Orli’s arms and even marked his cheek. “Uh, hello there,” Orli said finally. His dark eyes shot darts at his boss.

“I have…uh…a car.” Elijah motioned vaguely over his shoulder.

“Right. Let me clean up a bit and I’ll come out and look.” Orli stood as Elijah nodded and walked back outside. “You fucking git!” Orli snapped at Dom when Elijah was out of earshot. “You made me look like an idiot!”

“You do that all by yourself,” Billy said cheerfully.

“You did look stupid. And in front of a movie star and all,” Dom said, laughing.

“Sod off.” Orlando went to wash his hands. He had recognized Elijah Wood instantly, and the fact that he had made a total ass of himself made everything ten times worse.

When he got outside, Elijah was leaning against the car, biting at a fingernail. Another man, someone Orlando vaguely recognized, was asleep on the passenger seat. “Let’s look under the hood, then.”

Elijah opened the hood and stepped back. “You’re, uh, British?”

“Born and bred,” Orlando said as he bent down. Elijah swallowed a whimper. The work pants tightened over a perfect ass. “Came here a few years ago. My mate Dominic already had a garage, I know a lot about cars, and here ya go.” Orlando checked a few wires, felt around a bit, and stood. “It’s nothing serious.”

“Good,” Elijah said, relieved. “I feel bad. I haven’t really had the time to have her looked at yet.”

“Well…if you don’t mind, why don’t you leave her here?” Orlando asked. “I’ll look her over, make some adjustments. I can give you an estimate…”

“Not necessary,” Elijah interrupted. “I trust you.”

“Great.” Orlando held out his hand and Elijah took it. Their eyes met. Orlando was the first to release his grip. “So…let’s get Dom to write you up. We have a car to loan you until this one’s ready.”

“Great,” Elijah echoed, following Orlando back into the garage. Dom and Billy had been watching the exchange, and quickly pretended to look busy as the two men approached.

“Dom…we’re going to keep Mr. Wood’s car for a few days so I can look it over,” Orlando said. “Do the paperwork?”

“Of course,” Dom said in a professional tone. “I’ll walk you back out to your car, Mr. Wood.”

“Thank you. Thank you, also, uh…” Elijah looked at Orlando.

“Orlando. Orlando Bloom.”

“Right. Orlando.” Elijah gave him a smile. He nodded at Billy and followed Dom out.

“Are you crazy?” Billy yelled at Orlando. “You don’t have time to work on his car! You can’t work nights because of your OTHER job…”

“You’ll help me, won’t you, mate?” Orlando slapped Billy on the back and went to the window to watch Dom and Elijah.

 

“So…here are the keys to the loaner.” Dom dropped a pair of keys into Elijah’s hand. “Your car is in GOOD hands.”

“I’m sure it is,” Elijah said. He shook Dom’s hand and woke Sean. “Seanie. Let’s go.”

“Wha?” Sean mumbled. Elijah opened the door and Sean tumbled out.

“We gotta go. We’re late.” Elijah led the way to the other car.

“What are we doing?”

“I’m leaving my car here. It’s in good hands,” Elijah said, remembering the slender yet strong hands of Orlando Bloom.


	2. Chapter 2

STRIPPED  
Two

 

“Monaghan’s.”

Elijah paused. The voice was accented, but it wasn’t the British accent he wanted to hear. He picked at a piece of wallpaper. “Hello. I was calling to check on Sadie?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I think you have the wrong number. There’s no one here by that name.”

Elijah frowned. It didn’t even sound like a British accent. “My name is Elijah Wood…I dropped my car off a view days ago?”

“Oh, Mr. Wood!” The voice said in recognition. “This is Billy. You called the right place.”

Elijah blushed and was grateful the mechanic couldn’t see his face. “I’m sorry. I named my car.”

“That’s quite alright, sir. Let me get Orlando for you.” Elijah was put on hold.

 

“Orlando!” Billy yelled. “Yo, Orli! It’s the movie star?”

“Really?” Orlando wiped his hands on his backside. “Where?”

“On the phone,” Billy said with a grin. Orlando had talked almost nonstop about Elijah since the actor had dropped his car off.

Orlando pushed the hold button. “Fuck you, you Scottish smartass,” he said.

 

“Fuck you, you Scottish smartass,” Elijah heard a voice say, and his heart leapt a bit.

“Uh, hello?”

“Oh, Mr. Wood!” Orlando sounded surprised and very embarrassed. “Um, I didn’t know I had spoken so loud. Sorry.”

“No problem.” Scottish, Elijah thought to himself. So that’s what they sound like. “I was calling to check on my car.”

“I was going to call you tomorrow, actually,” Orlando said. “She’s all ready for you.”

“Really? That’s great!”

“I was just gonna give her a bath before you picked her up,” Orlando continued.

Elijah leaned against the wall of his dressing room, his eyes closed. He envisioned Orlando wearing nothing but a pair of Daisy Dukes, hosing down his car…and maybe himself. Then he shook his head. Like Orlando would dress like a common rentboy just to wash cars at the garage. “That’s not necessary,” he said weakly.

“I want to. It’s not a problem.”

“Will she be ready by eight tomorrow?” Elijah asked. He heard voices calling him. “Can you hold on just one minute?”

“Sure,” Orlando said, and Elijah put the phone down.

 

Orlando ran a dirty hand through his curls and sighed. He couldn’t believe that he was acting like such an idiot over a simple human being. So what if he was a famous actor with awards and money to burn. So what if he had eyes bluer than anything Orlando had ever seen. So what if he had pale skin that Orlando wanted to taste all over.

“Ya okay?” Billy asked. “Ya look like ya seen a ghost.”

“No ghost,” Orlando said. He turned around to press at the erection that had come to life at the mere thought of Elijah.

 

Elijah sighed and picked up the phone again. “Are you there, Orlando?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sorry. I’m filming this public service announcement thingy and they won’t give me five minutes peace.”

“It’s okay.”

“So, can I pick it up tomorrow?”

There was a pause on the other end. “I’m normally not in by eight, sir, but Dom…”

“What time will you be in?” Elijah blurted.

“Uh, I normally come in around ten-thirty.”

“Can I get her at eleven?”

“If you’d like.”

“So…I’ll see you at eleven, then.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Wood.”

Elijah hung up, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes. He was in love with a mechanic he’d talked to twice in his entire life.

 

Orlando stared into space as he hung up the phone. “Orlando, the cars won’t fix themselves,” Dom said, poking his head around the corner.

“Oh, yeah, right. Um, I’ll be in early tomorrow. Around nine.”

Dom stared at him. “Don’t you have to work tonight?”

“Yeah, but I have to get a car washed and ready.” Orlando drifted back to his work, his mind only half on what he was supposed to be doing. Elijah Wood had haunted his dreams since he had dropped his car off. Orlando had rented every video he could find that featured the actor, even if it was only in a bit part. He had wanked off to movies that no one in their right mind would have considered masturbatory material.

 

“Can you drop me at the garage tomorrow at eleven?” Elijah asked when Sean answered the phone.

“I have a lunch meeting with my agent at noon,” Sean replied.

Elijah closed his eyes as he flopped onto his sofa. “Did I say noon? I said eleven. You don’t have to stay. I just need a lift out there and I hate calling a cab.”

“Fine,” Sean said.

“I’m gonna go out tonight. Wanna come?” Elijah asked, grinning. He knew what the answer would be.

“My kinda going out or YOUR kinda going out?”

“Mine.”

“Elijah,” Sean said with a sigh. “As someone older and MUCH wiser than you, I have to tell you it’s a bad idea.”

“Everyone goes to clubs, Seanie.”

“Everyone does,” Sean agreed. “But not everyone goes to gay clubs…especially people who are not ready to come out to their adoring public as gay themselves.”

“I’m horny,” Elijah whined, and he could see Sean blushing. He laughed. He couldn’t help it.

“You’re a jerk,” Sean said. “I am NOT coming out to help you get laid.”

“You wouldn’t be a help, Sean. You’d be a hindrance,” Elijah said cheerfully. “It’ll be fun. I’ll buy the booze.”

“I don’t feel like dancing.”

“I’m not going dancing.”

“I definitely don’t feel like doing whatever else you’re doing,” Sean said. “I’ll pick you up at ten-thirty tomorrow, okay?” Sean hung up and Elijah laughed again.


	3. Chapter 3

STRIPPED  
Three

 

“Did you eat?”

“Hello to you, too, Beanie, and yes, I did.” Orlando pulled off his shirt, then turned around. “How are ya?”

“I worry.” An older man with light hair and a quick smile put a bag down. “I brought you a snack.”

“You’re not my dad.” Orlando picked up the bag anyway and sniffed in it. “You didn’t.”

“Why you eat that shit is beyond me.” Sean Bean leaned against the doorframe as Orlando happily dug into the mixture of vegetables. “Rabbit food, that is.”

“It’s good for you. Gives you energy.” Orlando munched away.

“I have enough energy. Besides. I’m the one watching the door, not the one who needs energy.”

“Anything I need to know about?” Orlando put down his salad and began to finish changing his clothes.

“Some VIP reserved a table by the stage. Table six, I think. You’re supposed to give them special treatment.”

“Of course,” Orlando said, rolling his eyes. “Although I won’t…I give everyone the same treatment.”

“Whatever.” It was Sean’s turn to roll HIS eyes. “Ian’s at table ten…”

“Oh, good. I’ve missed him.”

“You should just take him up on his offer, Orli. It’d be good for you.”

“What, become a rich man’s whore? No thanks,” Orlando said, frowning.

“He’s a nice guy, Orli. And it’s better than what you do.”

“I’m a mechanic. I like what I do.”

“Whatever,” Sean said again. “And Viggo’s already at table seven.”

Orlando froze and turned around. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

“Beanie,” Orlando whined. “You promised you wouldn’t let him sit up there!”

“Look, it’s not MY fault the bloke’s taken a fancy to you,” Sean said, obviously amused. “He tips well, right?”

“So? He’s always looking at me,” Orlando mumbled. Sean raised an eyebrow. “Not like most people do. Like he’d skin me alive or something. He’s a creepy old man.”

“Who you calling old?” Sean pulled himself to his full height and crossed his arms.

“You’re not old, Beanie,” Orlando said cajolingly. “You’re just right. He’s just like a stalker or something.”

“I bet he’s had a rough life, lad. I bet you are the one sparkle of sunshine in his otherwise dreary world,” Sean said dramatically.

“Acting classes are making a git outta you,” Orlando said, and Sean laughed.

 

Elijah knocked at the side door. “Mr. Wood. How nice to see you.” The man stepped aside and Elijah entered the club. The owner, a short man named John, snapped his fingers. “Beanie!” A good-looking older man walked over. “Show Mr. Wood to his table.”

The man scowled, as if it were below him to lead Elijah to his table. “Yeah,” the man said finally.

“Beanie. I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” Elijah began politely.

“That’s Sean to you,” was all the man said. “Second set starts in ten minutes.” He pulled out a chair and Elijah sat down. “Something from the bar?”

“I’ll get it, thank you,” Elijah said, and the man’s face softened slightly.

“Enjoy.” Elijah watched as the man went to the front door, and realization hit him. Sean was normally a bouncer, and it was indeed below him to waste his time leading Elijah to a table. Elijah got up and went to the bar. He ordered two beers and took them back to his table. He sipped at one of them, looking around. This was one of his favorite gay clubs. The performers were beautiful, and secrets were easily kept there. He hadn’t been able to come back for over a year, and he had actually missed it. Contrary to what his best friend had said, Elijah wasn’t the kind of person to go out and get into trouble. He enjoyed what any straight man would enjoy: having a few drinks and watching beautiful scantily-clad people dancing around him.

 

“On in five, Orli,” John announced, poking his head into Orlando’s dressing room.

“Yeah,” Orlando said, carefully applying black smudges to his face.

“Don’t forget. Ian McKellan is…”

“I know. At table ten,” Orlando interrupted. “And VIP at table six.”

“Excellent,” John said, beaming. “Sure you don’t want to do this full time?”

“Three nights a week is enough,” Orlando said. “I’ve told you that.”

“All right,” John grumbled, leaving the dressing room. Orlando stared at himself in the mirror, heaving a deep sigh.

 

“Gents, thanks for waiting through the break,” Sean said through the loudspeaker. The room, which had gotten quite crowded, actually quieted down. “I know you’ve been waiting for him, and here he is…the man to get your motor running.”

Elijah watched the stage eagerly as an unfamiliar bass line filled the room. He recognized the voice, it was R. Kelly, but the remix was something he didn’t know. “You remind me of something, I just can’t think what it is,” R. Kelly said, and Elijah could just make out a figure on the stage. Smoke drifted across, and Elijah caught sight of long, thin legs in tight blue work pants. He swallowed deeply, thoughts of Orlando coming quickly to mind.

 

 _You remind me of my jeep, I wanna ride it, something like my sound, I wanna pump it…girl, you look just like my cars, I wanna wax it, and something like my bank account, I wanna spend it, baby…_

 

Elijah’s mouth fell open as the spotlight hit the dancer’s face. Dark curls framed the slender face, black smudge marks of oil on the cheeks. The dancer sat backwards on a chair, his long hands sliding up and down its frame. He kicked a leg over it to sit sideways, then stood up in a wave of motion.

Elijah forced himself to close his mouth. His beer must have been tampered with, because that dancer looked exactly like Orlando. He wore blue work pants, an unbuttoned mechanic’s shirt, and the name “Orli” was stitched over the heart. Elijah didn’t have a chance to look at the shirt for long, however, because it was soon removed and tossed into the audience. An older, dignified-looking man caught it and laughed, holding it up to the dancer in a salute.

 

 _It’s something about your love that’s got me going crazy, baby, you know I want you real bad, and girl, I really like your freaky style, how can I be down with you? So, get a little closer to my ride, I wanna get to know you, lady, and hip me up on how to get inside you, listen, pretty baby…_

 

Orlando danced his way across the stage, immersed in the music. He had never fancied himself much of a dancer, and had answered the ad in the paper on a dare from Billy. John had taken one look at him and hired him immediately, and it was good money.

Orlando ran a hand through his hair as he strutted back across the stage, ready to make his dutiful visit to the “VIP.” This was normally where he tore away the pants, which were designed for just that. Underneath was an article of clothing very similar to a Speedo, and normally Orlando did all kinds of nasty things with the pants he had removed, rubbing them over himself and things like that.

Orlando approached table six, and all normal things left his brain entirely.

 

 _I wanna roll it, roll it, roll it, roll it, is all I wanna do for you baby…girl it’s something kinda sexy, goin’ on about you, babe…now I would like to take you on a ride tonight, girl, you know we’ll have so much fun…and give you everything your body needs, satisfaction guaranteed…so pull up to my bumper and let the system sound, girl, I betcha I can drive you crazy, and let me be the one to drop you off, babe, listen to me…_

 

Elijah stared up at Orlando, hoping the drool wasn’t running down his chin. Orlando was beginning to sweat a little, and the sheen hugged his skin. Elijah desperately wanted to lick it off. Orlando looked down with a smirk, and the smile froze on his face. He actually stopped dancing. Elijah looked him over from toes to head, and it seemed to wake Orlando. He turned on a heel and went to dance in front of an older man nearby.

Elijah stood abruptly. He approached the bar, where John and the man called Beanie were mixing drinks. “John,” he said, and the owner approached immediately. “You still do lapdances and all that?”

“Sure do.” John rubbed his hands together.

“I want him. In the private room. I’ll pay whatever’s necessary,” Elijah said. “And I mean WHATEVER is necessary.”


	4. Chapter 4

STRIPPED  
Four

 

“Orli.”

Orlando turned around, a towel around his waist. “Hey, Beanie. I gotta get cleaned up quick if I’m gonna go work the room. Ian asked for…”

“You don’t have to work the room.” Sean leaned against the doorframe. Orlando was so shocked he almost dropped his towel.

“Don’t have to?”

“Nope.” Sean shook his head. “The VIP has requested your presence in the back room.”

Orlando blinked. He had hoped that Elijah would have disappeared by then. He was so embarrassed he could hardly hold his head up. While it was interesting to know that the actor was gay, this was NOT the way he wanted Elijah to see him. “Well, Ian paid extra, and…”

“Orli, stop. John said you’re going in the back room and that’s final. Apparently the kid has some money.”

“Oh.” Orlando sighed and tried to think. “I guess I’ll be out there in a minute.”

“Okay. I’ll wait for you.” Sean closed Orlando’s door.

When Orlando opened the door again, he wore a red button-down shirt and a pair of tight black jeans. The shirt was unbuttoned. “You ready?” Sean asked. Orlando nodded and followed Sean.

 

Elijah anxiously paced the small room. What if Orlando had the right to say no? What if he wasn’t going to come back to the room? What if Orlando was so freaked out by the fact that Elijah was gay, he wanted nothing to do with him? He sighed. This wasn’t the way he had wanted to come out to Orlando, but he had never expected to see him in a place like this. Not that he thought any less of Orlando; he actually thought less of himself.

The door opened and he jumped. Orlando walked in the door. He wore tight jeans and an open shirt. His curls were damp from the shower, and Elijah almost drooled at the sight of him. The bouncer closed the door and leaned against it. Elijah looked at him quizzically.

“None of our boys get left alone with customers,” Sean said. He flexed his biceps. Elijah swallowed deeply.

“Understandable,” he said finally.

“You sit, and you don’t touch him. Understand me?” Sean growled. “You paid to watch, not touch.”

“Right.” Elijah hurriedly sat on the sofa, his blue eyes huge as he looked everywhere but at Orlando.

Orlando was shocked to see that Elijah looked nervous and a little scared. He didn’t look his normal confident self. When Sean told him the rules, Elijah nodded and quickly sat down. He wouldn’t meet Orlando’s gaze.

Orlando turned around. “Beanie, you can go.”

“Are you crazy, Orli? You know the rules.”

“I also know that he’s no threat. I swear. Look at him. He’s just a kid. He also can’t afford the bad publicity.”

Sean frowned and bit his lip. “I don’t like this.”

“Please?” Orlando turned the full effect of his puppy dog brown eyes onto Sean.

Sean sighed. “Fine. I’ll be behind the bar. You call if you need me.” He motioned to a phone on the wall.

“Promise,” Orlando vowed. Sean left the room and Orlando turned back to face Elijah. “Hi.”

“H-hello,” Elijah stammered. “I, uh, never thought I’d see YOU here.”

“Right.” Orlando ran a hand through his hair and Elijah unconsciously whimpered. Orlando heard it and grinned a bit. “You liked my show?”

“Oh, yes,” Elijah whispered. “You looked incredible.”

Orlando sauntered over and straddled Elijah’s legs. “You really want me to dance for you?”

“Only if you want to.” Elijah swallowed hard again and looked up at Orlando. Orlando caressed Elijah’s cheek.

“I’m allowed to touch you if I want to,” Orlando told him.

“But I can’t touch you. Right.” Elijah nodded hard. He didn’t care if he had to sit on his hands, as long as Orlando kept looking at him that way.

“I’ve been thinking about you ever since the first time I saw you,” Orlando confessed. He rolled his body slightly and Elijah moaned. “And not in a “oh, he’s a famous actor” kinda way.”

Elijah’s hands itched to touch the long legs. He wanted to fist his hand in the tempting curls. “I’ve…been thinking about you, too.”

Orlando dipped slightly so his shirt slid from one shoulder. Elijah licked his lips. “Do you want to touch me?” Elijah nodded. Orlando looked Elijah in the eye. “Go ahead.” Elijah raised a shaking hand to touch Orlando’s bare shoulder. His thumb ran along the line of his collarbone. Orlando hissed in a breath. “I’d love to touch you, too,” Orlando whispered, thrusting slightly. “Love to just ride you…” Orlando put his hands on Elijah’s shoulders and went through the motions. “Ride you good and hard…”

“God…” Elijah said in a strangled tone. He bit down at Orlando’s shoulder before he knew it. Orlando grabbed Elijah’s shoulders hard.

“I could make you come, if you wanted,” Orlando said. He rested his forehead against Elijah’s. “I’d love to do that for you. No one would know…”

“No,” Elijah said regretfully. Immediately this cocky, aggressive Orlando seemed to disappear.

“I’m sorry.” Orlando scrambled to his feet. “That wasn’t very professional. I, uh, don’t tell John, okay?”

“Orli.” Elijah got to his feet as well. “You did nothing wrong. God, I’d love nothing more than to fuck you through that sofa.” He smiled as Orlando involuntarily shivered. “I paid to get you back here. Just for your time. I didn’t pay for you to do anything else. I respect you more than that.”

“Oh.” Orlando rubbed at his neck. Their eyes met, and the desire was the same.

“What time do you get outta here?”

“Well, I think that depends on you. Whatever you paid John was enough to keep me off the floor for probably the rest of the night.”

“I’d like to take you out for something to eat, if you want,” Elijah said shyly. “I don’t want this to just be…this.”

“I’d like that,” Orlando said, finally starting to relax. “Don’t tell John that, though…we’re not supposed to fraternize with the customers.”

“I won’t tell him.” Elijah walked over to Orlando. He slid the gauzy shirt from Orlando’s body. He trailed his hands down Orlando’s spine, lightly nipping at his neck. “Sometime, though, I WOULD like to continue this…let you do what you said you wanted.”

Orlando gulped for air. “Uh…”

“I’ll go tell John you were completely worth every dollar, and that I wanted to go. Meet me out back in an hour?” Elijah breathed in his ear. Orlando nodded. Elijah left the room.


	5. Chapter 5

STRIPPED 5

 

Elijah paced back and forth in front of his car, biting his bottom lip. What if Orlando wasn’t going to meet him? What if Orlando had called the National Enquirer or something, and a reporter was waiting to get the scoop. Elijah was afraid to look up, half worried that a flashbulb was going to explode in his face.

“Hey.”

Elijah whirled around. Orlando stood behind him, wearing faded jeans and a battered leather jacket. The night was cool, but Orlando wore sandals. “Hi,” Elijah said, relieved.

“I tried to hurry. John didn’t need much convincing, but I needed to sit and listen to Beanie giving me the Dad treatment.” Orlando rolled his eyes.

“You’re fine. I’m early,” Elijah said quickly. “There’s a diner up a few blocks…”

“I know it,” Orlando said. “And I’m starving.” Elijah opened the passenger door of his car and Orlando slid inside. “So…the beauty I have back at the garage…you gonna put a bumper sticker on it that says, “My Other Car is a Porsche?””

Elijah grinned bashfully. “I know.” He patted the dashboard as he climbed behind the wheel. “My best friend, Sean, told me that I have to have at least one thing that brags about how much money I have. Either a house or a car or a trophy girlfriend or something. I decided on a Porsche.”

“She IS nice,” Orlando said approvingly.

“I like Sadie better,” Elijah said, shifting into gear and peeling out of the parking lot.

“Do you name all your cars?” Orlando asked. He looked sexy in the brown leather jacket, and Elijah was doing his best not to drool like a teenager. He was an actor. He could hide his need.

“Just that one. She’s special. Got her for a real bargain, too,” Elijah said. The diner was only a short distance up the road, and before he knew it, he was pulling into a parking place. The parking lot was almost empty.

“Sometimes I eat here after my shift,” Orlando said. “Love their pancakes.”

They went inside and picked a booth in the back. A waitress walked over and smiled at them. “Orlando.”

“Miranda.” Orlando got up and kissed the pretty woman’s cheek. “The usual for me. And keep the coffee coming.”

“You got it, baby.” She smiled at him, then turned to Elijah. After doing a double-take, she said, “How about you, cutie?”

“Whatever he’s having?” Elijah asked. She laughed.

“Hope you’re hungry. Be back in a bit.” She left, turned in their order, and returned with two cups of coffee.

“So…” Elijah stirred cream into his coffee. “Why two jobs?”

“Extra money,” Orlando said, shrugging. “I’d like to buy into Dom’s garage…or maybe open one of my own someday. Just work on classic cars.”

“I could help you with that,” Elijah said. “If you needed money.”

“I don’t want your money, Elijah,” Orlando said seriously. Elijah stopped stirring. “That’s not what this is all about.”

“I never thought it was,” Elijah insisted. He had known from the beginning that Orlando wasn’t the type.

“I never thought I’d see you at the club,” Orlando said to change the subject. Elijah blushed a bit.

“I don’t go often. I’m not ashamed of what I am, but in my line of work, you have to hide some things.” Elijah set down his spoon. “I guess I’m a big coward. I’m too afraid to really come out yet.”

“That’s not being a coward,” Orlando said. “I’m totally out…but my line of work is a little bit different than yours. No one will really stop bringing their car’s to Dom’s just because the mechanic is gay.”

“Hey, maybe more people WOULD bring their cars there,” Elijah said, and Orlando grinned.

Miranda returned with a tray full of food. Two plates of scrambled eggs, two plates of sausage, and two plates of chocolate chip pancakes were plunked onto the table. “Enjoy, boys. I’ll be back with coffee.”

“Good God.” Elijah blinked at all the food. “Where do you put it?”

“I work it off, remember?” Orlando said with a wink. He dug into his pancakes.

“Why stripping?” Elijah asked. Orlando stopped eating.

“It’s easy money. I’ve always been told I had a beautiful body or a beautiful face. By day, I hide the body and face under a car. By night, I show it onstage. I don’t plan on making a true career of it, though.”

“You were beautiful,” Elijah said softly. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”

“I liked having your eyes on me,” Orlando said, his eyes never leaving Elijah’s face. “I’d like to have even more of you on me.” Orlando blushed and looked back down at his plate. “I didn’t just say that out loud, right?”

“No, and I didn’t just agree with you, either,” Elijah said. Orlando was saved from replying by Miranda’s return with the coffee pot.

They ate and talked for over an hour. Orlando yawned and stretched. “Man…I have to be at work WAY too soon.”

“Call off,” Elijah said.

“I haven’t called off in…months,” Orlando said. “I’m so dependable.”

Elijah rolled his eyes. “You could, uh, crash at my place, if you wanted to,” Elijah said. Orlando stared at him. “I know you’re tired. Um, you could just sleep. I don’t want to…I mean…you could rest there, and I don’t want to leave you. Not yet.”

“Okay,” Orlando said. Elijah threw down some money and they left the diner.


	6. Chapter 6

STRIPPED  
Six

 

Elijah drove Orlando back to the strip club. He watched until Orlando started his car, then slowly began to drive to his house. He lived in a secluded neighborhood above the city, in a house that was large but not ostentatious. He stopped in front of his driveway, leaned out, and entered the security code onto the keypad near the gate. The gates swung open and he started up the winding driveway. He made sure Orlando’s car was through the gates before clicking a button to swing them shut. He clicked another button, and his two-car garage’s doors slowly flipped up. Orlando pulled in beside him, and Elijah closed the doors.

“Good God,” Orlando said in awe when they were out of their cars. “I mean, I’m trying to play this totally cool, but…your house has a fucking GATE.”

“I didn’t want one, but fans find this place and sorta get outta hand,” Elijah said almost shyly. “They’re great and all, but they get a little excited.” Elijah opened the door from the garage into the kitchen. “Welcome to my house.”

Orlando went into the kitchen but waited for Elijah to turn some lights on before walking any further. The kitchen was large, with all kinds of fancy appliances and shining pots and pans. “This is, uh, nice,” Orlando said. He couldn’t believe it. He was even intimidated by Elijah’s kitchen.

“Would you like to see the house, or would you like to see where I live?” Elijah asked. Orlando stared at him. “There’s a difference.” Orlando still didn’t answer. “Okay, we’ll look at the house first.”

Elijah led Orlando through a series of rooms, all tastefully decorated and very neat. They were beautiful, but they had no personality. “This is an amazing house,” Orlando said. “Impressive.”

“It’s supposed to be,” Elijah said, sighing. “That way, when my manager decides I need to throw a party or something, everything’s perfect. Wanna see the rest?”

“There’s more?” Orlando asked, and Elijah laughed. “Can I use your phone first? I need to leave a message for Dom.”

“Sure. On the wall by the fridge,” Elijah said. “I’m gonna go change. Can you find your way to the kitchen?”

“Yeah,” Orlando said, though he wasn’t so sure.

“I’ll be back in a sec,” Elijah said, disappearing down a hall. Orlando carefully retraced their steps back to the kitchen.

“Hello. You’ve reached Dom’s Garage. Leave a message and we’ll return your call when we’re in,” Dom’s voice said politely.

“Hey, Dommie, this is Orli. I’m not gonna make it in. Something happened at work tonight, but I’m fine. I’ll call later,” Orlando said.

He was studying the utensils in a crock on the counter when Elijah returned. He wore a pair of sweatpants and a Depeche Mode t-shirt. “Okay,” Elijah said, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s go.” He opened a door off the side of the kitchen and flipped on a light. Orlando followed him down the stairs. “THIS is where I live,” Elijah said.

Orlando looked around and grinned. Posters and pennants lined the walls of a huge family room. A large kitchen sat to the left, with dirty dishes in the sink and pots and pans stacked on the counter. “Great,” Orlando said, laughing.

“THIS is me,” Elijah said. He pointed to the TV. “Big screen TV. DVD player and VCR. Twenty CD-changer stereo. X-Box. Playstation. You name it. THIS is me.”

“I love it,” Orlando said. He walked over and looked at a poster on the wall. “This is autographed by Tony Hawk!”

“He’s a great guy,” Elijah said.

“Okay, NOW I’m jealous,” Orlando said.

“Want something to drink?” Elijah walked into the kitchen.

“Beer if you got it,” Orlando said, flopping onto the comfortable sofa.

“Of course I do,” Elijah said, sounding almost insulted. He handed Orlando a bottle and sat down next to him.

“This is so strange.” Orlando looked around the room. “This is not what I expected.”

“You expected upstairs,” Elijah said, and Orlando nodded. “I know, with my line of work, that I need what you see upstairs. But what’s down here, I need this, too. I need a place to be myself.”

“I definitely am more comfortable down here,” Orlando said, putting his beer on the coffee table.

“So am I,” Elijah said. Orlando looked at him. “I don’t want you to see me as some celebrity, Orlando. I really like you. I want…I want you to like ME, Elijah. Not Elijah Wood, the actor.”

“I do like you,” Orlando said softly.

Elijah put his beer down and they met in the middle of the sofa. He soon found himself laying flat on his back, with Orlando pressed on top of him. His hands roamed as they kissed; he couldn’t help it. Orlando was long and sexy and beautiful, and Elijah wanted to touch every inch of him. “We could…move this to my room,” Elijah said as he finally let himself come up for breath. “But I don’t know if…” Orlando pulled back. “No, not like that,” Elijah said, pulling Orlando closer again. “I don’t want to ruin this. I can get a quick fuck any place I want. That’s why I didn’t say yes to you at the club. I, well, I want more.”

“Me, too,” Orlando said. He grinned. “Though I’d love to go into the shop and brag about the sexy actor I shagged.” Elijah didn’t smile back. “Jeez, Elijah, I’m kidding. I’m not a shag and tell kinda guy. I promise.”

“Being with me won’t be easy,” Elijah said soberly.

“I’m not easy, either,” Orlando said, and Elijah finally laughed. “I’d rather just sleep. With you. That okay?”

“Of course,” Elijah said. He turned off the lights and led the way to his bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

STRIPPED  
Seven

 

When Elijah woke up, he was alone in bed. He frowned. He knew he hadn’t GONE to bed alone. He stretched and sat up, sniffing. He stopped stretching and sniffed again.

When he reached the kitchen, he saw that Orlando was sitting at the table, flipping through the newspaper. He looked up and smiled at Elijah. Elijah couldn’t help but smile back. Orlando wore only boxer shorts, and his curly hair was standing up all over. “I, uh, found coffee,” Orlando said shyly.

“I smell,” Elijah said, walking over and pouring himself a cup.

“I’m used to getting up early,” Orlando said apologetically. “I could only lay and watch you sleep for so long. I needed my coffee, and I found the paper out by the gate.”

“You watched me sleep?” Elijah asked, blushing slightly.

“Sure,” Orlando said, shrugging. Elijah added sugar to his coffee, sipped at it, then walked over to peer around Orlando’s shoulder.

“Anything about me?”

Orlando took Elijah’s mug and put it on the table. He grabbed Elijah’s hand, walked him around the chair, then pulled Elijah onto his lap. Orlando settled his arms around Elijah’s waist and kissed Elijah’s shoulder. “Yes, actually. Someone wrote about the fact that you must have incredible self-control. You had a sexy stripper in your bed and behaved like a gentleman.”

“Well, does it also say that it took everything I had to behave like that gentleman?” Elijah asked, pretending to look at the paper. Orlando put a finger under Elijah’s chin and brought his face down for a kiss. “Being a gentleman sucks,” Elijah murmured after they broke the kiss. Orlando snickered.

“So, what are we doing today?” Orlando asked, leaning his head against Elijah’s shoulder.

“Let’s go out for lunch,” Elijah suggested. “And I want to see where YOU live.”

Orlando frowned. “You don’t want to see that, Elijah. It’s NOTHING like here.”

“So? I want to know everything about you,” Elijah replied. Orlando sighed and said nothing.

“Watch your step. The pavement’s cracked there. And there.” Orlando pointed as he side-stepped along the sidewalk.

“I won’t fall over a crack in the cement, Orli,” Elijah said, sighing. Despite what Orlando had said, the neighborhood where he lived really wasn’t that bad. The homes and apartment buildings were nothing like where Elijah lived, but it was obvious that the people took pride in their homes and gardens.

“Up here.” Orlando took the steps two at a time with Elijah at his heels. “Elevator rarely works.”

“Hi, Orli!” A little boy at the end of the hallway said, waving. He was about seven or eight years old.

“Hi, Mikey,” Orli said, waving back before unlocking the door.

Mikey’s mouth fell open. “You’re Nick James, the astronaut!” He gasped, pointing at Elijah. Elijah grinned.

“No, not really. I just played him in a movie. You must be Mikey.”

“Mom!” Mikey yelled, running back inside his apartment.

“Sorry,” Orlando muttered, blushing.

“I’m used to this,” Elijah said gently.

Mikey reappeared, tugging at his mother’s hand. “See, Mom? It’s Nick James!”

“Michael, I’m sure it’s…” The mother, a young redhead, stopped talking when she saw Elijah. “Oh, my,” she said weakly.

“Elijah Wood, ma’am,” he said, shaking her hand. “I’m a friend of Orlando’s.”

“Nice to meet you,” she replied, shaking his hand limply.

“I loved your movie. We got it on DVD, and I watch it every week!” Mikey said happily. “It’s my favorite. Wait until my friends hear!”

“Would you like me to sign it? So you can prove you met me,” Elijah said. Mikey gave a yell and ran back inside.

“He does love that movie. He wants to be an astronaut now,” his mother said. Orlando disappeared inside his own apartment.

Mikey reappeared with a marker and a DVD. “Here!”

“Your mom says you want to be an astronaut?” Elijah asked. Mikey nodded fervently. “Well, astronauts are special people, but they’re smart, too. You have to do really good in school.”

“I will,” Mikey promised, clutching his DVD to his chest.

“You have a nice day,” Elijah said. He walked into Orlando’s apartment and closed the door behind him. “Orli?” He called.

“In here.” Orlando came out of the bedroom, pulling on a t-shirt.

“Sorry about that.” Elijah waved towards the hallway.

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for my neighbors to bug you.” Orlando went back into the bedroom.

Elijah looked around the apartment. It was small and messy, but just right for a man trying to live on his own and save some money. “Orlando, I’m used to it. It’s what happens to me almost every time I’m out in public.” Elijah leaned in the doorway of the bedroom, which was even messier than the rest of the apartment.

“Sorry about the mess,” Orlando mumbled, zipping up his jeans.

“Quit apologizing,” Elijah said, walking over to Orlando. He looked down at the bed, which was the only space in the room without clothes on it. “Looks big enough for two.”

“I rarely have another person in it,” Orlando said softly. Elijah ran a hand over Orlando’s curls, then let it settle at Orlando’s neck.

“Damn, you make it so hard to be that gentleman,” Elijah whispered.

Orlando leaned in and licked a line from Elijah’s collar to his ear. “I never did respect gentlemen all that much.”


	8. Chapter 8

STRIPPED  
Eight

 

“Orli!” Dom yelled. Orlando poked his head out from under a hood. “That movie star’s pulling up in a cab.”

“Elijah Wood?” Billy asked breathlessly.

“Calm down, Bill. He’s just another customer,” Orlando said casually, wiping his hands on a towel.

“He never came in yesterday for his car,” Dom said. “It was like he knew you wouldn’t be here or something.”

Orlando shrugged. “I dunno.”

Dominic and Orlando walked out to greet Elijah. Billy started to follow them. “Stay inside,” Dom ordered. Billy frowned and went back into the garage. “Mr. Wood,” Dom said. “Nice to see you again.”

“You, too,” Elijah said. He gave Orlando the once-over, then looked back at Dominic. “Is she ready?”

“Yes, she is. Orlando took special care of her.”

“I’m sure anything Orlando takes special care of is in very good hands,” Elijah said smoothly, his blue eyes straying down to Orlando’s dirty fingers.

“Orlando, why don’t you show Mr. Wood to his car?” Dominic suggested. Orlando shrugged sullenly. Dominic frowned. “Do you really have anything better to do?”

“If you’re busy…” Elijah began. Orlando shrugged again.

“Whatever.” Orlando started around the back of the garage.

“If he’s rude to you, let me know,” Dom said quickly. “He’s been in a rotten mood all day. I apologize.”

“No need,” Elijah said politely. He followed the path Orlando had taken.

As soon as he rounded the corner of the building, he was grabbed and shoved against the wall. “Anything I take care of is in very good hands, eh?” Orlando whispered against Elijah’s neck as his hand wandered down to Elijah’s groin.

“God,” Elijah moaned, his head hitting the wall with a thud. Orlando made a sympathetic noise and raised his other hand to cradle Elijah’s head. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, as far as I can see,” Orlando murmured in Elijah’s hair, the naughty hand slipping inside Elijah’s pants. Elijah let out a very unmanly squeak.

“Your boss…God, Orli…said…oh, fuck…” Elijah’s eyes rolled back into his head.

“Said what?” Orlando panted along with Elijah as he worked his cock.

“Said…God, don’t stop…said you’re in a rotten mood today…”

“Cum for me,” Orlando said in a soft voice, and Elijah obeyed. He leaned his head against Orlando’s shoulder. Orlando pulled a clean handkerchief from his back pocket and cleaned Elijah up. “You were saying?”

Elijah attempted to regain his brain. “He said you were in a bad mood today.”

“Maybe because a gorgeous movie star kept me up all night making wild monkey love,” Orlando suggested. Elijah snorted.

“Who kept WHO up?”

“Never mind,” Orlando said evasively, and Elijah laughed. “Maybe I just miss you.”

“Aw,” Elijah said sympathetically, giving Orlando a passionate kiss. Orlando groaned and let his own head thump against the garage wall. “C’mon. Show me my girl.”

Orlando took Elijah by the hand and led him to the car. “How does she look?”

“Perfect,” Elijah said, but his eyes were on Orlando. “Just perfect.”

 

“Hey, Dom?” Billy called from the office.

“Hmm?” Dominic yelled back.

“Orli’s snogging the movie star!”

THE END


End file.
